Liberal political guru Michael Huttner, founder of ProgressNow and a nationally political constultant, is leading the group Making Colorado Great, (Special to the Post/ Matt McClain)

While the politician who says he hates the rough-and-tumble of campaign politics, incumbent Gov. John Hickenlooper, was wooing business investors and analysts at the Westin Denver Downtown hotel at lunchtime Monday, Colorado politics regarding him played loudly in the public arena.

Michael Huttner made his presence known in a press release, with a familiar name in the “contact” spot.

A decade ago, there was no clearer, or possibly louder, voice from Colorado’s political left than Huttner, the founder of ProgressNow Colorado and a consultant for similar groups across the country since. He’s back now with the well-financed Making Colorado Great.

Its mission statement? “[T]o hold Bob Beauprez accountable to the people of Colorado.” See where this is going?

While Hickenlooper has vowed to avoid negative campaigning, his ally Huttner was fast out of the gate Monday. He called on Beauprez to renounce an endorsement from Texas Gov. Rick Perry, who is awaiting booking on a grand jury indictment alleging abuse of power. Over the phone, Huttner also brought up Beauprez’s support from embattled New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, as well as an affiliation through a conservative group’s board with former House Speaker Tom DeLay, who was indicted in the same Texas county in 2005, convicted in 2011, and acquitted on appeal last year.

Beauprez’s campaign did not comment on heavyweight Huttner directly, but supported Perry’s decision to seek the removal of Travis County, Texas, District Attorney Rosemary Lehmberg from office after she was arrested for driving while intoxicated last year. Perry followed through on a threat to veto funding for the Democratic prosecutor’s Public Integrity Unit, which is investigating a taxpayer-supported Texas cancer research center where donors to Perry campaigns benefited suspiciously from lucrative grants.

“There’s a disturbing trend of John Hickenlooper’s allies supporting drunk driving offenders,” said Beauprez spokesman Allen Fuller. “Most Coloradans are more concerned about public safety than protecting drunk drivers.”

Huttner said he’s with Making Colorado Great because he’s tired of Beauprez’s “extreme, backwards views.” The group, which does not have to disclose its donors, has plenty of money and airtime to get that message out: about $1.7 million in TV ad contracts so far, according to Federal Communications Commission documents.

“I care deeply about Colorado and it is crucial that the people here learn about him,” said Huttner, whose political consulting firm has offices in Boulder, where he lives, New York City and Washington, D.C. “And when you look at Beauprez’s history of unethical misconduct, as well as his extreme views on key issues, Both Ways Bob Beauprez truly represents the wrong kind of politics for Colorado.”

So the first attack on Beauprez is to line up behind an illegal dirty political move on a fellow Republican. Nice. Even liberal Democrats say the political move on Texas Gov. Perry by a local Texas district attorney, is ‘sketchy’ legally.

And what the heck does it have to do with Beauprez? Republicans had better toughen up against this crap. More is coming.

Huttner should be careful. Hick is worse than Beauprez could ever be, even if he aligned himself with Christie/Perry. What about Hicks special interests, ALEC (Glen Vaad), Fracking, Guns and especially Marijuana??! Hickenlooper, along with Huttner, is clearly out of touch with Colorado. The people of Colorado need to send a message and stop electing people that are in it for the money not to better Colorado.

Don’t forget this election, Hick and Beauprez represent every special interest group except our children’s future. More than half of people under 25 are Independent for a reason.

RobertChase

Cannabis? Fighting the will of the People regarding cannabis is Hack’s top priority, but no one imagines that Beauprez would be any better. Fascists are petrified by the subject — they’d probably like to run to the right of Hack on the issue (which would be political suicide), but Hack hasn’t left them much room to do so.

Jerome

You are exactly right, either option isn’t great. We need more in political races and the people need to speak up about it. We need more independent politicians that will fight for the people, not accept money from corps and support liberty. This election does have one, Mike Dunafon. He’s got my vote #dunafon4gov #whyilovecolorado

Lynn Bartels thinks politics is like sports but without the big salaries and protective cups. The Washington Post's "The Fix" blog has named her one of Colorado's best political reporters and tweeters.

Joey Bunch has been a reporter for 28 years, including the last 12 at The Denver Post. For various newspapers he has covered the environment, water issues, politics, civil rights, sports and the casino industry.